In the Shadows of a Dream
by Mr Slayer
Summary: When Asuka has a prolific dream she is catapulted into a mysterious episode where she must make the right decision and that decision is whether Shinji's life is more important than a wish. And a A/S relationship ensues! :)
1. Default Chapter

Title: In the Shadows of a Dream

Author: Mr_Slayer

Prologue – The Dream

            Asuka Langley Sohryu floated in air in complete darkness. Where was she? What is this? Am I dreaming? Then out of thin air Shinji Ikari's face appeared in front of her. Then with a flash the world around her changed.

            The scenery now was the hospital at NERV headquarters. In the Second Cranial Nerve wing that Asuka has seen so much of lately. The room in front of her was bleak and somber, the sounds around her were disorienting. Asuka heard crying coming from the room. She walked in to find a purple-haired woman laying face down on a boy's body whom lay in the white hospital bed. His face was so white and scary. Asuka knew that face. When she walked closer to see, what she saw made her stop in her tracks. It was Shinji.

            "Misato! What happened? What happened to Shinji?"

            The sobbing Misato Katsuragi slowly pulled her head off the unconscious Shinji Ikari and looked at Asuka with a sad and tear-filled face. She sniffed and just stared at Asuka, as if she didn't know what to say. Then the teary face changed to a distraught and angry face.

            "How could you, Asuka? How could you? He was so young. He didn't deserve what you did to him. And Rei… She was lucky to have got out without a concussion. But did you have to hit Shinji? WHY? WHY ASUKA?"

            What? I hit Shinji? No I didn't. I don't remember any of this. This isn't real. Please tell me this isn't real! What is happening to me! I want out! Someone let me out! I didn't do this to Shinji!

            Asuka's thoughts burst out of her mind, but no one was listening. "I DIDN'T KILL SHINJI! No! I want out of this dream! I want out!" She rushed over to Shinji's body on the bed and began shaking him. "Come on, baka! Wake up! Stop feeling sorry for yourself! I love you Shinji, please don't do this!"

            Then three men in black suits walked in with handcuffs. They came up behind Asuka and spoke words to her telling her that she was being arrested for the possible death of Shinji Ikari. This couldn't be, Asuka thought. This must be a dream. SHINJI!

RIIIIIIIING!!!!!

            The sound of the red heads annoying beaten down alarm clock woke the girl suddenly. But she didn't wake like ever other day. She woke today screaming. Screaming so loud that it could have made the very building buckle from the sound. She just sat erect in her bed screaming and crying. Screaming Shinji's name and crying.

            After this her door burst open and in ran Shinji, Misato and waddling ever so close behind them, Pen-Pen. The sound was so loud it woke the poor penguin from his slumber. Shinji looked shocked and Misato turned on her responsible mother attitude as she sat next to the distraught girl and tried to calm her down.

            "Asuka, what's wrong?" Misato asked, almost at tears herself. "Please, Asuka, you have to settle down. Please talk to me, Asuka. I'm here. Misato's here."

            Asuka stopped screaming and just sat there with tears rolling down her face. Her body was shaking as well. She didn't know what to say. How could she tell Shinji that in her dream she killed him? Who knows, this may as well be the future. And if it was, she didn't want to think about what was really going to happen.

End of Prologue

AN: This was a short chapter, but I'm working on it. I plan on making this a small story, not too long, but I hope that all you readers enjoy it the same. Looking for comments on the beginning and I will accept any ideas where to take this. So until next time… Peace!


	2. In the Shadows of a Dream - Chapter 1

TITLE: In the Shadows of a Dream

Author: Mr_Slayer mr_slayer65@hotmail.com

Chapter 1

            That morning as Asuka sat up in her bed reliving all that she could remember from that nightmare, she stared at the wall that intersected hers and Shinji's room. She couldn't tell Misato or Shinji was the dream was about. She really didn't know herself either. Much of it was garbled around and confusing. I hope I never have to relive that dream, she thought.

            As she got up and got ready for her shower she thought about what Shinji looked like on the hospital bed… He was so pale. That's all she could remember… and the noise. She heard more than just Misato crying. Now that she recalls, the disorienting noises were mixed together and they sounded like a group of out-of-tune instruments playing a song incorrectly. But voices could be heard.

_It was in cold blood!_

_Oh, the horror!_

_I knew the devil would strike sooner or later!_

_SHINJI!_

_Asuka, how could you? Shinji was your friend!_

            NO! She grabbed her hair and pulled as hard as she could to stop the voices that floated in her head.

            After the shower, she came out dressed and sat down for breakfast. Usually she would already be insulting Shinji some way or another, but after what she dreamt, she didn't feel like it now. Will I ever be the same, she asked herself. If only I could talk to somebody about this.

            No one must know, another voice echoed in her head. Don't assume that the dream is even correct. You didn't kill Shinji and had no reason to. Just don't think about it Asuka. Just don't.

            Throughout breakfast Shinji attempted to find out what was wrong, but Asuka said nothing. Misato in the end just told Shinji to leave her be. And of course Shinji said his usual apologies to Asuka and Misato even though he did nothing wrong.

            On their way to school Asuka just watched Shinji walking in front of her. She couldn't think about anything else but about him. What was she to do? Did she really have feelings about him? And if so, why would she ever have an impulse to hurt or even murder him. Oh god, Asuka. What a hard night you had. All she wanted to do now was to get to school and talk with Hikari. Hikari seemed to be the one person she could trust. Though she wouldn't tell Hikari right out about the dream, she would hint on about it and her feelings toward Shinji. That's if she can get Hikari to stop talking about Touji.  The stooge was finally back from the hospital and with his prosthetics. Yesterday he was joking around with Shinji and Kensuke as he was beating his leg with a wooden stick and laughing how it didn't hurt. Leave it to a stooge to make fun of a wound that he'll have to live with for the rest of his life. Shinji said he guessed that that was Touji's way of hiding the pain he felt from losing his one arm and one leg to the atrocious 13th Angel and his Evangelion. Still, Asuka thought, he's quite a baka to laugh at his own deformity. All the stooges were bakas, she thought. Even Shinji.

            As they entered the classroom Shinji waved to the other stooges and walked over to talk to them. Asuka spotted Hikari along with Tosami Nogai and Nesata Tsutomo, two other girls who transferred to Tokyo-3 because their parents were now working for the rebuilt and under new command NERV HQ in Tokyo-3. When Misato was told about her promotion to Sub-Commander and Commander Fuyutski's promotion to Commander, she was astounded, but accepted. Gendou Ikari, Shinji's father and former Commander of Tokyo-3 NERV was arrested by JSSDF troops as well as Special UN Forces from the first branch of NERV in New York City, New York in the US. He was arrested for what happened to Rei and what happened to Touji and for being careless while on duty. Awkwardly enough as Asuka watched the poor man be dragged away in handcuffs she didn't see one bit of a struggle. Emotionless bastard deserved what he got, she thought.

            Just like Touji, Asuka as well just got out of the hospital about 5 days ago. She was welcomed back with quite a warm offering, with hugs and kisses from Misato, Hikari and oddly enough even Shinji. Her thoughts after she got out were mixed. Whether she wanted to live or not, or whether anybody wanted her alive. Then one night, well two nights ago that is, Shinji shocked her more then he has ever before. He finally showed that he cared. 

**-=Flashback=-**

"I missed you Asuka…. I… I really did."

"Y- Y- you did?" Asuka looked like she was going to cry. 

"Don't ever think we don't love you Asuka. You're one of us. We love you for you. Not just because you're an Eva pilot. Not just because you are strong. Indeed we love you for that, but we love you for you."

"Shinji… You feeling ok? You aren't sounding too hot."

Shinji smiled and took a hold of Asuka's hand. He squeezed it and held it as tears began running down his cheek. He just sat there looking at her with his blue eyes and tears flowing out of them. It was just too much for Asuka to handle. She burst into tears as well. Shinji took her in his arms and just hugged her. This was the first intimate emotion Shinji had ever shown to her, and her to him. 

            "Don't ever leave me again, Shinji," Asuka sobbed. "Don't you ever leave me again. I- I-"

            She couldn't say it. She wanted to tell him she loved him, but she just couldn't do it. Damnit! How can I fall like this for this baka? 

            "Sssshh. Just don't talk. I understand if this has been hard for you to show."

            Asuka looked back at the brown-haired boy she had been with for over a year and smiled. She couldn't tell him she loved him now, but she would soon. Soon.

**-=End of Flashback=-**

            "Hey Asuka!" Hikari's greeting brought Asuka out of her thoughts. The Class Rep smiled and hugged Asuka close. Asuka was used to this now. Hikari had been doing this since Asuka got back for school four days ago. There was no use complaining about it now. That was how she knew Hikari was her true friend.

            "Thanks, Hikari. Hi Tosami. Nesata."  
  


            The girls replied with a greeting and Asuka was clued in on the latest gossip. Over at the window, the stooges were meeting as usual to discuss their favorite subject… Girls.

            "So Shinji, you and Asuka had sex yet?"

            Shinji almost choked on his own oxygen. "Wha! What!? No!"

            Touji and Kensuke laughed. "I tell ya, I would hate to live with the red devil. So much anger; so much hatred… Damn that rap music!" Kensuke laughed at his comical maxim. Only to get a smack on the head from Shinji. "Hey, ow!" He laughed again.

            As Kensuke rubbed his head the sensei walked in and Hikari stopped in her tracks. She immediately screamed her usual STAND! BOW! SIT! routine and thus began another boring school day.

**** 

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNG!!!!

"Alright! LUUUNCH!" Touji Suzuhara stretched back on his seat and then stood up stretching the rest of his body. "God, how I do hate those second impact lectures. But I do get a good nap from it." He yawned and then picked up his school bag. "Come on Ken, let's go get some food! Yeah!"

"Right behind ya! Let's go Shinji."

Shinji stood and looked over at a quiet and cold Asuka. "I'll meet you on the roof in a bit. Just have to do something."

"Sure, see you up there."

As soon as all the students rushed out of the classroom towards lunch, Shinji waited back as he saw Asuka slowly get out of her seat. "Asuka…" She looked back in surprise.

"BAKA! You scared me. I didn't even know you were still here."

"Asuka… Is something wrong? Your scream this morning, it really scared me."

Asuka bit her lip and looked at Shinji with a sad look. "N-n-no Shinji, I'm fine." She picked up her books and walked out of the room. She looked like she didn't want to talk about it. But why? What happened to her this morning? Shinji thought. What made her scream like that? And why won't she tell me? Just then he heard Hikari screaming outside. He rushed out to see what happened and saw Asuka on the ground.

**** 

_You killed him. You killed him. You killed him. You killed him. You killed him._

_NO! Stop screaming, I didn't kill him, STOP!_

Asuka stood walked out of the classroom after talking to Shinji. Why is this happening to me? What does this dream mean? These thoughts won't go away. GOD STOP SCREAMING!

_You killed him. You killed him. You killed him. You killed him. You killed him. You killed him. You killed him. You killed him. You killed him. You killed him. You killed him. You killed him. You killed him. You killed him. You killed him. _

_STOP!_

Then before she could even take a step she blacked out.

When she awoke, she found herself back at the hospital. But she wasn't a patient. She was back at the room where her dream took place. Back in her hell. Back in the dream that plagued her.

But this time Misato wasn't there. She could only see the limp and cold Shinji lying on the blank and remorseless hospital bed, staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling Asuka had seen so many times before.

 She slowly walked up to the motionless body. Her entire body shook each step closer to the dead Shinji she got. Then before everything in her body exploded she dropped her body on to bed and she cried.

"OH SHINJI! I'm sorry, Shinji. I didn't mean to! OH GOD SHINJI WAKE UP! PLEASE! I can't move on without you. I love you Shinji. Please wake up. Please!"

Her head lay on the soaked bed covers, soaked with her own tears. The tears that would remain there digging at her most inner-conscious. And the thought of her hands killing the one person in the world she cared for would bring her to her own death.

"You can prevent it," a voice said from the mists.

In the dark corner of the room stood a figure. As it walked forward, Asuka saw who or what it was. Kaoru, the 17th Angel stood there mocking her in the little corner of the room with a smile on his face.

"YOU BASTARD! You're supposed to be dead. You just love this don't you? YOU BASTARD! WHY? WHY DO YOU HATE US SO MUCH?"

She jumped from the bed and rushed at the angel-boy. She jumped at him but hit nothing but the cold tile floor. Her face smashed into the floor and with a groan she picked herself up. Looking up at the smiling boy she grunted. "You emotionless bastard. How could you let him die."

"I didn't. You Lillum always blame the almighty whenever somebody dies. But haven't you ever thought of the real person to blame. In this matter it is you. You killed the Third Child in utter rage and jealousy. Without thinking about the consequences you struck the boy in his head with all your might, which is a lot, then the boy fell to the floor unconscious. He fell into the eternal sleep that is death. You killed Shinji in hate and for the rest of your life will you recall the incident. It is your curse, your torment for what you did. Or should I say what you will do."

"What? What I will do? You mean I haven't done it already… Of course I haven't. I was at school and Shinji is still alive. But I have done nothing to stop it because I don't know when or why I would do something like that."

Kaoru knelt down to her level and put his now solid white hand on her shoulder. "But you can still do that. You still can change the future."

"Why are you telling me this? You're my enemy. You're Earth's enemy. You always will be."

The angel sighed and then smiled. "Yes, we were your enemies, if you must say it that way. God was angry with you and we were sent as messengers to the human race. But do you know what I found out when I was in Central Dogma? I figured out that humans were not too different than God and his angels… His messengers. The very angels that for the past year have been attacking your world. You feel emotions as we do, you live as we do, and you deserve to be as we do. So I presented this to the almighty and have given you three, the three pilots a wish. One. Well, you four. The fourth was granted his wish already. You'll find that when you return. But I am sure that you can ask the wish for all three of you. I am sure that Shinji will agree with you and Miss Ayanami has assured me to trust for you to decide correctly."

Rei? Rei trusts me with her wish?

"So do you have your wish, Asuka?"

Asuka looked up at the smiling angel-boy and stood up from her placement on the cold floor. She knew what he was expecting her to say. And that would be what Rei and Shinji would've both wanted. But did they really expect her to use her one wish, a wish she could use on whatever she wanted to save a baka like Shinji? 

"How will this wish save Shinji?"

"If you wish for what I believe you will wish for, then you will be given a choice when the time comes. If you don't when the right time is your wish will be discarded and so will Rei's and Shinji's. That will come some time from now. But now, I shall give you time to think. Until we meet again, Miss Sohryu." As just like he appeared, in the dark corner he disappeared into nothingness.

Then the room went blank and Asuka woke.

End of Chapter 1

AN: Well that was much longer then the prologue. I hope what I put in this chapter makes sense. If not then smack me in the head and tell me what I did wrong, so I can correct it. Oh yeah, C&C would be nice. J Thanks for reading. Until next time.


	3. The End

The sad demise of what could've been a good fic.  
  
Well it sure has been a while since I first posted the prologue and first chapter to In the Shadows of a Dream. This fic originally was written to impress somebody, I won't say whom, and it definitely was written too quickly and lacked a iron-clad plot.  
  
Much to the lopsided reviews I received, I just cannot find myself to continue this. As seeing that I am a new face in the world of fan fiction, I still have many creative ideas up my sleeve that will hopefully find themselves coming out on my keyboard and onto the net. But this one shall not be completed. I simply went to quick and did not think it through. Let's just say a person's ego can take over at times when writing a fic. And this time wasn't different.  
  
In writing this story I had many good and bad reviews. Some of them were critiques, some were flames, and some were appraisals. In one, a reviewer asked me if English was my primary language, because after reading this story, that reviewer said he/she most definitely thought that it wasn't. Actually, for the past 18 and a half years, yes it has been. I was born and bred in America and speak 100% non-redneck English. It's my grammar that's my problem. Boy do I have terrible grammar. After re-reading another fic I did, Neon Genesis: Karaoke--which I intend on continuing-I found many discrepancies with my grammar and messed up sentence structure. So after reading this, I made the decision to discontinue In the Shadow of a Dream. I apologize to both who liked it-for stopping a fic that you happened to enjoy-and to those who didn't like it-for having to read such a mediocre fic.  
  
You may be asking why I am writing this. Well it's to inform anyone who was interested in it continuing. Well here's your answer.  
  
C'est la vi  
  
-Mr_Slayer 


End file.
